Strategies for Winning at Slot Machines

By Alison Miller ; Updated April 12, 2017

Slot machines are a popular form of gambling at casinos across the country. According to slotmachines.org, 65 to 75 percent of a casino's action is generated from slot machines. The slot machine is a relatively simple game to play. Generally, you insert a coin, pull a lever and wait for the results. While other gambling games like poker and blackjack usually require some skill, slot machines are completely random and are very much a luck-based game. However, there are certain strategies that can give you a better chance of winning at slot machines.

Understand Slot Machines

In order to have a chance of winning big at a slot machine, you need to know which machines offer the best payouts. You can do this by examining the payout chart of a slot machine before you start to play. Some machines offer proportional payouts. This means that for all winning combinations the machine will pay back twice as much when you bet two coins, three times as much when you bet three coins and so on. However, a majority of slot machines are progressive slot machines, meaning they offer bigger payouts to players who bet with more coins. In fact, most progressive slot machines do not give the player an opportunity to win the jackpot unless they are making the maximum coin bet.

Decide How Much to Bet

According to gamblersedge.com, proper money management is a key strategy to winning at slot machines. So, if you are gambling on vacation, you need to decide how long and how much money you plan to bet for the duration of the trip. First, divide the money you set aside for gambling by the number of days you are on vacation. Then, divide each day by the number of hours you are going to spend playing. This will give you the proper allowance of money you can safely gamble.

After you have determined how much money you can gamble, start off by playing flat pay slot machines. If you increase your winnings, then you can advance to progressive machines.

Know When to Leave

Always make sure to keep track of your winnings by activating the credit meter on the slot machine. Many new gamblers do not know when to stop playing, and often continue even after winning a jackpot. This is a huge mistake, and can be detrimental to your overall winnings. If you do strike a big jackpot, collect your coins or cash out immediately.